Pwani University students clash with villagers in protest of colleague's death

Kilifi County Traffic Police Commander Julius Motonu walks past boda boda operators, touts and villagers who clashed with Pwani University students in Kibaoni in Kilifi town. [Photo: Joseph Masha/Standard]

Students at Pwani University Sunday clashed with boda boda operators, touts and villagers at Kibaoni in Kilifi after they blocked the Kilifi-Malindi highway protesting the death of their colleague who drowned in the Indian Ocean on Saturday during a swimming expedition.

The students were demanding that the county government provide lifesavers on the beach to prevent future incidents and also sought to be addressed by Governor Amason Kingi. The identity of the deceased was not provided.

Dozens, including students, were injured in a clash that began when wananchi refused to allow the students to block the highway and tried to push them back into the university. The university gate and closed circuit television were damaged in the fracas.

Shouting and mourning the deceased, the students claimed several colleagues have drowned in the ocean, deaths they said could be prevented if there were lifesavers.

When the students realised they were getting overpowered, they fled onto campus grounds but later regrouped at the main gate and engaged wananchi in a stone-throwing contest.

Police arrived after five hours. First to arrive at the scene was the Kilfi County Traffic Police Commander Julius Motonu, who pleaded with wananchi to stop fighting the students.

Anti-riot police officers later arrived led by area OCPD Justin Nyaga, who tried to pursuade the two parties to settle their differences in vain.

As Mr Nyaga was trying to cool down the fighting groups, both sides continued throwing stones.

Wananchi said the students used the wrong means to address their problem.

They vowed to punish the students, especially those who live off-campus, saying they have been a problem for the community.

This is the second time the students are clashing with villagers. About two years ago, they differed with boda boda operators after the students claimed the operators had harassed one of their colleagues. The confrontation that ensued led to the temporary closure of the institution.

And before that, learning was disrupted after the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hospitals, Educational Institutions Hotel and Allied (Kudheiha) joined the lecturer and university staff strike in March last year.

The Pwani Chapter Shop Steward, Sheth Ochanda said the lecturers vowed not to resume work until their demands were met. Earlier the lecturers and staff had downed their tools to force university authorities to release their unpaid salaries.